Chapter Three
"This is Barry, much nicer guy than the creep from earlier."
I shake the hand of the tall, thin, dark man, he greets me through a thick, but understandable accent, "You must be Leah. Do I take it then that you accepted the job after all?"
Owen squeezes my shoulder. There goes those pterodactyls again. I've worked around mostly men for the past five years, what was going on? Sure, he was extremely good looking, but I hardly knew the man and it wasn't like he was flirting with me to initiate such a reaction. "Man you should have seen her against Hoskins. She was a little spitfire. More than that I think the girls understood what she was doing for them. Echo purred for her after he left."
I receive a look of disbelief from Barry, "Echo rarely does that for us. I must say I'm a little jealous. I also am sorry you had to deal with Hoskins your first day."
"Technically it's not my first day, I haven't told Masrani yet."
Barry chuckles, "That's even worse, having to put up with that man and you're not even getting paid yet."
"Still," Owen pipes in, "I didn't like the way he looked at her, it's the same way he looks at Blue. Like he owns her." I didn't like that, wrapping my arms around my middle I look out to where the girls are now stretching their legs. Owen nudges my side, giving me that same caring expression as when he thought I was scared of meeting the raptors. "You okay?"
I nod, "I guess I'd better be on my guard then, huh?"
"You shouldn't have to be around your co-workers," he states seriously, "Where I don't think he would try anything I would still feel better if you stayed away from him. He doesn't stop by all that often, but if he does please, just come find one of us. Even one of the normal crew here at the paddock. I don't take crap from the men watching my girls and you can trust them. Come on, let's get you introduced."
I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon being introduced to nearly a dozen men, being specifically told that it was rare for anyone else to randomly show up and to raise alarm if one did. It was strange how Owens whole domineer changed after Hoskins visit. More than once did I feel his eyes on the back of my head while I was observing the girls. An odd sense of protectiveness coming from him over someone he'd just met.
He sticks close, teaching me which raptor was which so I could tell them apart at a more instant recognition rather than have to take a moment to register their different colorings.
"Ready to see something cool?" he raises an eyebrow cockily he removes a conventional clicker from his pocket, "Stay there and watch." Taking a stand at the center of the catwalk Owen lets out a whistle and the raptors are instantly below him. One hand held out in front of him while the other held the clicker.
"Hold! Eyes on me!" To my amazement the girls obey. Owen holds himself confidently, this drill is nothing new to him. "Good. Very good. Let's move!" He walks the length of the catwalk with them in perfect step. "Excellent!" He calls each one by name, throwing them a dead rat. "Eyes up! And go!" The girls ran back into the overgrowth.
Done with the exercise he returns to my side wiping his hands with a clean rag. "You're impressed, I can see it."
I was staring at him again, but this time not because of his good looks. "You're the alpha. I was wondering how the group was able to function properly with only a beta, but now I get it. It might not be by a lot, but Blue does see you as in charge." I study his face, reading easily what his eyes are trying to tell me. "That's why Hoskins wants a field test. Because they listen to you. But just because they did this time, and in their enclosure I might add, doesn't mean they would in any other situation."
"I'm so glad you understand that," he steps close, taking my hands lightly in his. "That right there tells me Masrani made the right call in hiring you."
My voice is suddenly shaky and I hope he doesn't realize that he's the reason it is, "I sure hope so. At first when I was offered the job I didn't think I'd become so instinctively attached. I mean I know nothing about raptors, but when Hoskins looked at Echo like that I knew I couldn't leave."
"You'll learn. And you've already locked down on the most important piece of knowledge: You can't control them. Like you said, they may listen to me here, but they know they are trapped. We have no way of knowing what they would do if they were let out. You'd probably have better luck being in there with them. Not that I'd want to try that either." He drops my hands quickly, like he'd forgotten he'd been holding them and scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.
"By the way I had Barry call the big guy, you're official as soon you go sign all the papers. He said your stuff will already be moved to actual living quarters closer to the paddock so you don't have to drive out every day. It's close to mine, about a mile from here. We're about done for the day, what do you say we head in, get you signed up, and grab some dinner to celebrate your new job. We'll swing back by for your Jeep later. "
A place near Owen and dinner? "Sounds good."
I follow him down the catwalk looking for his car when I see him stride over to a motorcycle I'd seen earlier when I'd pulled in.
"Not scared are you?" He raises an eyebrow waiting for me to sit.
Rolling my eyes I settle behind him, "I just spent the day with four velociraptors. I think I can handle riding a motorcycle."
He grins cheekily, reaching back to take my arms pulling them right around him. "Then why do you seem so hesitant. Hold on tight, don't want you falling off." Glad he couldn't see me blushing I do as he says, enjoying the excuse to be close and feel the hardness of the formed muscles that I'm certain his shirt is hiding. For a whole twenty minutes.
Masrani is waiting for us in his office, papers ready to sign. I laugh and take the pen from his hand, signing all the highlighted spots as he spoke, he'd given me an unofficial copy to read on the flight. I knew what I was getting myself into. "I knew you would accept the position, Ms. Collins. Especially after you had to the chance to spend the day with Mr. Grady and his girls. He has my very highest respect when it comes to how much he loves his raptors. You'll do well here under his watch." I sign the last line with a flourish. "Welcome, to Jurassic World. You'll report to Mr. Grady here for any of your needs, he'll explain how life here works." He turns his attention to Owen, "I have arranged for you both to have the next two days off. I want you to show her the island like a guest would see it. Take her on all the attractions let her experience the beauty of the island." Owen nods, "Now get out of here and have some fun. I hear there's live music at Margaritaville tonight."
I am suddenly more terrified than if I'd been in the raptor paddock.
"Don't tell me you're on some weird diet too," Owen groans when I deny the alcohol and order a normal coke instead.
"First of all, if I was on a diet I would have ordered a diet coke, and second, what are you taking about?"
"I went on a date with Claire Dearing, head Asset Manager, last weekend. As you can see, it did not go so well. Refused to drink tequila because it wasn't on her diet." He takes his shot of tequila. "And who makes an itinerary for a date?"
I laugh, "I only met her briefly last night, but I can totally picture her doing that. That leads to another question, why did you go on a date with her in the first place? She doesn't seem like your type at all."
He raises his eyebrow, smirking like the pill I knew he'd be, "You know my type, do you? Do tell."
Shaking my head I turn to look at him better, "All I'm saying it she's the last person I'd picture to show even the slightest interest in what you do. She looks like she'd rather treat any social interaction like an interview while you…" he's lost the smirk, curiosity replacing the teasing, "are much more relaxed. And why are you looking at me like that?"
Smiling, he runs his hand over his stubble, "Sorry, it's just, your right. And what about you? What are you like? I see you don't have an itinerary with you."
"This also isn't a date," I point out, nodding to the waiter who hands us our burgers.
"Fair enough, but even spending one day with you I can't imagine you would. No, you seem the type to like adventure. You worked with wolves, isn't that right?" He bites into his burger awaiting my answer.
I swallow, "That's right. Raised the alpha and beta since both of their litters were pups. By the end the pack had learned to accept me as one of their own. I was able to be in their enclosure safely with them because the alpha and beta gave their approval of me."
"So why aren't you with them now?"
A wave of sadness at the memory of having to say goodbye floods over me. "They were released into a sanctuary to live out the rest of their lives without mankind interfering."
An overwhelming expression of compassion surfaced, "Oh, Leah, I'm so sorry."
"It's was for the better, wolves weren't created to need our help."
"Still," he stares down at this half eaten burger, "I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to have a relationship like that suddenly gone. I've only ever known my girls here, I was hired to have them imprint on me. It's all the five of us have ever known. I mean, Barry's around, but he does more of the medical checks and things like that. I'm interested to see how the girls will do with you around. And to see if they'll taken commands from you in the future.
"I'm not holding my breath on that one. I need to watch them for a while and see just how much control Blue gives the others when you aren't giving the orders. She needs to understand that I'm not trying to take over as Beta and if I have that little clicker in my hand she's gonna take me as a challenger. No, she needs to see you give me orders just like you do to them and me listening."
"Are you telling me that you want me to give you orders and clicks like you're a velociraptor?"
I take the last bit of my burger, "Yep."
He's silent for a moment, but then perks up in a way that makes me nervous. I've given him full permission to be Alpha toward me and he was going to take full advantage. "Come dance with me." Okay, that was not what I was expecting.
"What?"
Already standing, hand extended expectedly wiggling his fingers, "Let's go. I need to see how well you follow your alphas lead."
My eyes are going to fall out of my head with how often I'm finding myself rolling my eyes around him. Still, I surrender my hand letting him take me out to the dance floor where a tango style beat has just started. Definitely pterodactyls. I wouldn't be surprised if he could feel my heartbeat though the veins in my hand.
I'm pulled sharp and quick against him, his free hand tucking itself just under my shoulder blade, locking my eyes in his gaze, not giving me the choice to look away. I didn't mind the permission to stare at him without looking like an idiot. I follow his lead around the dance floor.
"You see, Leah," he whispers, not breaking our eye contact, "A true leader knows how to give orders without the other feeling like they have no other choice. They're gentle about it, but make the orders clear and definite. He leaves no room for interpretation as to what he wants. He makes it so his pack can anticipate what he'll go." I feel Owen press under my shoulder blade, telling me he's about to turn us and I follow his warning to smoothly follow him. He grins, impressed. He pulls me into a spin and I slip back into this strong hold. We finish out the song in perfect unison. He wasn't expecting me to know how to follow a dance lead. By the end, he pulls me in from one final spin and I let my hand rest on his chest rather than going back to his forearm, his gaze losing all the original intension it'd held when he'd originally ordered me to dance. If I didn't know better, I'd say some of my pterodactyls had flown over to him.
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